Maryland Gov. O'Malley To Push For Tough New Gun Laws

In what will be one of the most sweeping state-level responses to last month's massacre in Newtown, Conn., Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) will introduce a ban on assault weapons while also seeking to place restrictions on gun-licensing requirements and visitor access to public schools, the Washington Post reported Monday.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, officials within the O'Malley administration outlined the governor's plan during a Sunday interview with the Post.

From WaPo:

Perhaps most controversially, O’Malley (D) will ask the General Assembly to force prospective gun owners to provide fingerprints to state police, complete a hands-on weapon-familiarization and gun-safety course, and undergo a background check to be licensed.

And the governor is seeking new measures to keep guns out of the hands of those with mental illness who show violent tendencies.

The coming gun-control debate in Annapolis, where Democrats reign, will contrast starkly with the discussion in Washington and the contortions that will be needed to get any gun-control legislation through a divided Congress.